Mount Lewis
Population density reaches 3,707.9 people per sq km across only 0.33 sq km, giving Mount Lewis a compact, detached-home character despite its population of 1,234. The suburb is shaped by established family households: average household size is 3.3, and 61.3% of families are couples with children. Its overseas-born share is 42.8%, which is 21.2 percentage points above the national figure, while the median age of 37 is 3 years below national. Compared with larger nearby centres such as Bankstown and Greenacre, Mount Lewis has a tighter residential footprint and a stronger concentration of separate houses. Arabic is spoken by 291 residents, reinforcing the suburb's established cultural links.
Local council: Canterbury-Bankstown
Population
1,234
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,539/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
9
For owner-occupiers, Mount Lewis suits buyers prioritising conventional family housing over apartment stock. Separate houses account for 86.4% of dwellings, compared with 0.8% apartments and 12.7% semi-detached homes. The bedroom mix is weighted to larger properties, with 40.3% containing three bedrooms and 43.2% four or more. Holding costs need care: the mortgage payment is $2,571 per month and mortgage commitments equal 38.6% of household income, higher than the 26.0% rent-to-income share. Outright ownership is 35.3%, slightly higher than the 32.5% mortgaged share, suggesting an established base alongside active borrowers. Compared with apartment-focused parts of Canterbury-Bankstown, the detached format may offer more family space but less low-cost entry stock.
For Buyers
For owner-occupiers, Mount Lewis suits buyers prioritising conventional family housing over apartment stock. Separate houses account for 86.4% of dwellings, compared with 0.8% apartments and 12.7% semi-detached homes. The bedroom mix is weighted to larger properties, with 40.3% containing three bedrooms and 43.2% four or more. Holding costs need care: the mortgage payment is $2,571 per month and mortgage commitments equal 38.6% of household income, higher than the 26.0% rent-to-income share. Outright ownership is 35.3%, slightly higher than the 32.5% mortgaged share, suggesting an established base alongside active borrowers. Compared with apartment-focused parts of Canterbury-Bankstown, the detached format may offer more family space but less low-cost entry stock.
For Investors
Mount Lewis presents a small, established rental market rather than a large-scale redevelopment play. Renting accounts for 31.1% of occupied dwellings, with weekly rent at $400 and vacancy at 5.5%. Those figures support a demand review, but an investor should still test achieved rents, property condition and insurance because the detached-house mix can increase maintenance exposure. Development activity was 9 applications in the past 12 months, including a 2-dwelling attached dual occupancy, so infill appears more relevant than a major apartment pipeline. Compared with higher-turnover markets, the 88.8% same-address rate and 11.2% turnover point to a relatively settled resident base, which can favour longer holding periods but may limit rapid tenant churn. Check yield against the purchase price rather than relying on rent alone.
Development Activity
Total DAs
41
Last 12 Months
9
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+28.6%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Mount Lewis has a family-oriented and culturally distinctive profile within a very small footprint. The median age is 37, three years below the national median, while university qualification attainment is 36.7%, 6.6 percentage points above the national level. Overseas-born residents make up 42.8%, 21.2 points above national, with Lebanese ancestry recorded for 552 people and Greek ancestry for 64. Arabic is spoken by 291 residents, and the largest listed religious groups are Christianity at 705 and Islam at 345. Household size averages 3.3 people, 0.8 above national, consistent with the 61.3% share of couples with children. Compared with nearby Punchbowl and Greenacre, the profile is best understood through family networks and language continuity rather than age alone.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
86.4%
Houses
12.7%
Townhouse
0.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is overwhelmingly detached and relatively family-sized. Separate houses represent 86.4% of dwellings, well above the 0.8% apartment share, while semi-detached homes account for 12.7%. Four-plus-bedroom homes make up 43.2%, above the 40.3% three-bedroom share, giving larger households more options than a compact-unit market. Tenure is spread across 35.3% owned outright, 32.5% with a mortgage and 31.1% renting. That mix matters because mortgage repayments are $2,571 monthly and mortgage costs reach 38.6% of household income, higher than the 26.0% rent-to-income figure. Compared with apartment-heavy suburbs, Mount Lewis offers more land-based housing but a narrower entry pathway for buyers seeking smaller dwellings. The 5.5% vacancy rate also warrants checking property-specific competition.
Mortgage / mo
$2,571
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $400.
$780
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $900 · units $650
HH Size
3.3
Personal Income / wk
$596
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.5%
Unoccupied
21
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
38.6% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
61.3%
Couples with children
21.9%
Couples, no children
16.8%
Single parent
310
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local workforce is spread across construction and service-professional industries rather than one dominant employer. Construction and Professional/Tech each account for 15.5% of employed residents, followed by Healthcare at 14.4%, Education at 11.5% and Finance at 9.0%. Occupations are led by Professionals at 108 people, Clerical/Admin at 70 and Managers at 61, with Sales at 47 and Trades at 41. Household income is $1,539 weekly, placing Mount Lewis at the 48.5th percentile, just below the midpoint, while personal income is $596 and family income is $1,775. Unemployment is 4.9%, participation is 42.5% and the full-time rate is 54.5%. Compared with a single-industry suburb, this spread can support resilience because residents draw on construction, professional, health, education and finance employment links.
Unemployment
4.9%
Labour Force
425
Unemployed
21
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
54.5%
Part-time
25.7%
Participation
42.5%
Employed
404
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
36.7%
Postgraduate
10.0%
Born Overseas
42.8%
Dwellings
354
Transport to Work
Livability centres on quiet, compact residential streets and car-based connectivity. Car drivers account for 53.3% of commuting, compared with 2.5% using public transport and 2.5% walking or cycling, while 38.9% work from home. The high work-from-home share can reduce daily travel pressure, but households without a car may need to compare route frequency and walking connections carefully. At 0.33 sq km, services in adjacent parts of Canterbury-Bankstown can be practically relevant, particularly because Mount Lewis sits within a dense 3,707.9 people-per-sq-km setting. School choice should be checked against the exact address, enrolment zone and sector, rather than assumed from suburb boundaries. Compared with lower-density outer areas, the compact footprint can make local errands shorter, although transport convenience remains more car-dependent.
Drive
53.3%
Public Transport
2.5%
Walk / Cycle
2.5%
Work from Home
38.9%
Growth Outlook
Change in Mount Lewis is more likely to come through small-scale infill than broad greenfield expansion. The suburb covers 0.33 sq km at a density of 3,707.9 people per sq km, leaving limited scope for large land releases. Nine development applications over 12 months, including a 2-dwelling attached dual occupancy, point to incremental additions and renovations rather than a major precinct reset. Residential stability is also pronounced: 88.8% of residents stayed at the same address, compared with 11.2% who moved, so change may be gradual compared with high-turnover locations. The 1,234 resident base and established detached housing stock make redevelopment sensitive to lot size, parking and neighbour impacts. Track approvals and completed dwellings because application volume alone can overstate delivered supply.
Population trend: Canterbury-Bankstown council area
Mount Lewis sits in the Canterbury-Bankstown council area. These are the council area's residents, not Mount Lewis's.
Residents 2025
389,687
Growth, 5 yr average
+0.7%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.1%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Mount Lewis compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mount Lewis a good suburb to live in?
Mount Lewis can suit households seeking established detached housing and a family setting. Its 3.3-person average household size, 86.4% separate-house share and 38.9% work-from-home rate support that reading. Compare exact streets for parking, traffic and services, because the 0.33 sq km footprint creates a compact setting with limited separation between homes and surrounding centres.
What is the median house price in Mount Lewis?
Use recent settled sales and current listings for the latest median rather than relying on an outdated figure. Mount Lewis is 86.4% separate houses, with 43.2% of homes containing 4 or more bedrooms, so the relevant benchmark should be compared with similarly sized detached properties, not only apartments. Check at least 12 months of sales for a reliable price view.
What schools are in Mount Lewis?
School choice should be checked using the exact property address, enrolment zone and sector, since boundaries can cross suburb lines. Mount Lewis covers only 0.33 sq km and sits within a wider Canterbury-Bankstown school catchment, so compare government and non-government options, travel times and before or after-school care. Confirm eligibility directly before signing a lease or contract.
Is Mount Lewis safe?
An up-to-date suburb crime rate should be checked through NSW Police and recent local incident information rather than inferred from housing type or density. Review the latest 12 months, compare incident categories and consider lighting, parking and walking routes at different times. Mount Lewis has 3,707.9 people per sq km, so street-level differences can matter more than a single suburb-wide impression.
Is Mount Lewis good for property investment?
Mount Lewis may suit a long-term investor who values established detached housing and a settled tenant base. Renting is 31.1%, weekly rent is $400 and vacancy is 5.5%, while 9 development applications in 12 months indicate modest infill activity. Compare the purchase price, achievable rent, insurance and maintenance before investing, because a 38.6% mortgage-to-income burden can constrain owner demand and resale depth.
How is Mount Lewis's population changing?
Mount Lewis has 1,234 residents today. Residential stability is high: 88.8% stayed at the same address and turnover was 11.2%. With 9 development applications in 12 months, including a 2-dwelling dual occupancy, population change is more likely to be incremental than in large new estates. Compare future approvals with completed homes when assessing the pace of change.
What languages are spoken in Mount Lewis?
Arabic is the most prominent listed additional language, spoken by 291 residents, while Greek is spoken by 26 and Cantonese by 11. Lebanese ancestry is recorded for 552 people, and overseas-born residents account for 42.8%, which is 21.2 percentage points above the national share. These figures support checking language accessibility when choosing services.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
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